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Communication  o 
Conf  Pam  #426 

DTTOfiEblS/ 


MESSAGK  OF  THE  PRESIDENT. 

ticTiMOND,  Va.,  Februaiy  12,  1864. 
To  the  House  of  Representatives  : 

In  response  to  your  resolution  of  the  21st  ultimo,  1  herewith  trans- 
mit, for  your  information,  a  communication  from  the  Secretary  of 
War,  relative  to  the  delivery  of  the  "  tax  in  kind"  at  the  Government 
depots  by  the  producers. 

JEFFERSON  DAVIS. 


COMMUNICATION  OF  THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR. 

Confederate  States  of  America,      i 

War  Department,  ^ 

Richmond,  Feb.  4,  1864.  ) 
To  the  President  of  the  Confederate  States  : 

Sir  :  Your  letter  of  the  oOth  ultimo,  referring  a  resolution  of  in- 
quiry of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  Congress  of  the  Con- 
federate States,  re(|uesting  information  as  to  the  legislation  necessary 
to  save  the  productive  power  of  the  planting  interest  from  the  damages 
which  may  ensue  from  the  enforcement  of  the  clause  of  the  act  in  re- 
lation to  the  tax  in  kind.  Avhich  requires  planters,  within  a  certain 
distance  of  the  railroad;  to  deliver  the  tax  in  kind  to  Government 
depots,  has  been  received,  and  was  referred  to  the  Quartermaster  Gen- 
eral, in  charge  of  the  collection  of  that  tax.  His  endorsement  on  the 
resolution  contains  a  full  answer  to  the  inquiry  proposed,  and  a  copy  is 
Respectfully  submitted. 
c>  .1AMES  A.  SEDDON, 

Secretary  of  War. 


A.  Q.  M.  General's  Office,  ) 
February  3,  1864.      ] 

The  clause  of  the  act  to  which  this  resolution  is  supposed  to  refer, 
appears  in  the  eleventh  section,  whei'ein  it  is  provided  that  producer:; 
siiall  be  required  to  deliver  their  tithes  '•  at  some  depot  not  more  than 
eight  miles  from  the  place  of  production."  This  does  not  refer  spe- 
cially to  railroad  depots,  nor  is  there  anything  in  the  act  requiring 
delivery  on  railroads,  as  the  resolution  seems  to  imply.  Delivery  is 
to  be  made  at  quartermasters'  depots,  (which  may  be  on  railroad'^,) 
and  within  the  established  range  of  distance.  It  is  not  perceived  how 
this  provision  interferes  with  the  **  productive  power  of  the  planting 
interest."  The  use,  for  a  shojt  time,  of  the  means  of  transportation 
necessary  to  deliver  the  tithe,  does  not  seem  injuriously  to  withdraw 
it  from  farming  purposes,  ample  time  being  allowed  for  the  selection 
of  a  convenient  period  of  delivery.  Where  delivery  is  made  at  a 
depot  more  than  eight  miles  from  the  place  of  production,  it  is  volun- 
tary, and  the  excess  of  transportation  beyond  eight  miles  is  paid  for. 

It  has  been  recommended  by  this  office  that  the  range  of  delivery 
be  enlarged  to  fifteen  miles,  the  farmer  to  be  paid  for  transportation 
the  whole  distance.  This  is  calculated  as  a  day's  journey  for  the 
teams  of  the  farmer,  and  it  is  not  supposed  that  this  increase  will 
materially  affect  the  planting  interest,  by  thus  employing,  for  S9  short 
a  time,  at  a  convenient  period,  (ample  time  for  the  selection  of  which 
is  afforded,)  such  means  of  transportation  as  may  be  necessary  for 
this  purpose. 

Respectfully  submitted  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 

LARKIN  SMITH, 
Assistant  Quartermaster  General. 


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